Gerbera plant named ‘MAJBUR20AA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gerbera  plant named ‘MAJBUR20AA’, characterized by its broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous inflorescences with deep red purple-colored ray florets; upright and moderately strong peduncles; good garden performance and relative tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Gerbera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MAJBUR20AA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant, botanically known as Gerbera hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘MAJBUR20AA’.

The new Gerbera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new garden Gerbera plants with numerous attractive inflorescences, resistant to cold temperatures and good garden performance.

The new Gerbera plant originated from a cross-pollination in March, 2014 of a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 14T1407, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 15T1531, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gerbera plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in June, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by vegetative terminal cuttings and in vitro meristem culture in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since August, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gerbera have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MAJBUR20AA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MAJBUR20AA’ as a new and distinct Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Numerous inflorescences with deep red purple-colored ray         florets.     -   5. Upright and moderately strong peduncles.     -   6. Good garden performance and relative tolerance to low         temperatures.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger inflorescences with         larger ray florets than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have deep red purple-colored ray         florets whereas plants of the female parent selection have light         red-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have shorter and narrower leaves         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have deep red purple-colored ray         florets whereas plants of the male parent selection have dark         pink-colored ray florets.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera have shorter peduncles than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Gerbera can be compared to plants of the Gerbera hybrida ‘MAJPUR21AA’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/747,755 filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘MAJPUR21AA’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have longer and broader leaves         smaller inflorescences than plants of ‘MAJPUR21AA’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘MAJPUR21AA’.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Gerbera are darker red         purple in color than ray florets of plants of ‘MAJPUR21AA’.     -   4. Plants of the new Gerbera have longer peduncles than plants         of ‘MAJPUR21AA’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gerbera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gerbera plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘MAJBUR20AA’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Gerbera production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 16° C. Plants were six months old when the photograph was taken and 20 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera hybrida ‘MAJBUR20AA’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 14T1407, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 15T1531, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings and in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, by cuttings, summer and             winter.—About 3.5 weeks at minimum temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, by tissue culture, summer and             winter.—About 2.5 to 3 weeks at minimum temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by cuttings, summer             and winter.—About 3.5 weeks after rooting, at temperatures             about 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by tissue culture,             summer and winter.—About five to six weeks at temperatures             about 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous perennial that is typically grown as             a container or garden plant; broadly upright and uniformly             mounding plant habit; roughly flattened globular in shape;             numerous leaves arranged in basal rosettes; dense and bushy             habit; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on erect             and strong basal peduncles; moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 31.2             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About 45             cm.         -   Plant width or spread.—About 64.2 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, basal, simple.         -   Length.—About 22.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 9.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate to narrowly oblong.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Broadly attenuate.         -   Margin.—Coarsely and shallowly repand to coarsely and             shallowly angulate or entire; proximally, coarsely and             irregularly angulate to runcinate; sinuses deep and             parallel.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent;             slightly rugose; moderately glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately to densely             pubescent; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to a blend of             141A and 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to a             blend of 138A and 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to NN137B; venation, close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to a blend of 147C and             148B; venation, close to 146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately to densely             pubescent; slightly glossy. Strength: Moderately strong to             strong. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Composite inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; solitary inflorescences             borne on upright and moderately strong peduncles and held             above the foliar plane; ray and disc florets arranged             acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three months             after planting; under garden conditions in The Netherlands,             plants flower from spring to late autumn; plants can be             flowered year-round in the greenhouse.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on the temperature,             inflorescences last about two to four weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             about 16 inflorescences developing per plant during the             flowering season.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About             2 cm. Shape: Globular. Texture and luster: Moderately to             densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 144B; towards the             base, close to 146A; immature ray florets, close to 183D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 9.2 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.9 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.5 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Broadly rhomboidal. Color: Close to 145D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 200 per             inflorescence; ray florets arranged in about four outer             whorls and two inner whorls of smaller ray florets.             Orientation: Proximally, about 40° from vertical; distally,             close to horizontal. Outer whorls of ray florets: Length:             About 4.5 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Narrowly obtuse to bluntly acute. Base: Narrowly cuneate.             Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;             slightly carinate; slightly glossy. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to a blend of 53A and 60A. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 60C to lighter than 60C.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 60A; venation, close             to 60A; color does not change with subsequent development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 54A; towards the base,             close to 54D; venation, similar to lamina colors; color does             not change with subsequent development. Inner whorls of ray             florets: Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 3.25 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Narrowly obtuse to bluntly acute. Base:             Narrowly cuneate. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety; slightly carinate; slightly glossy. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to a blend of 59C and             60A; apical edge, close to N155A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 63C to lighter than 63C. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 60B; apical edge, close to N155A;             venation, close to 60B; color does not change with             subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 64D to lighter than 64D; venation, similar to lamina             colors; color does not change with subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 300 disc             florets at center of the inflorescence arranged in about a             ten-whorl spiral. Length: About 1.9 cm. Width: About 7 mm.             Shape: Tubular with one or two narrow free lobes and one             broader free lobe. Apex: Acute and recurved; upper 42.5%,             free. Base: Lower 57.5%, fused. Margin, free lobes: Entire;             not undulate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately velvety; matte. Texture, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly velvety; slightly glossy. Color: When             opening, inner surface: Apex, close to 60C, tipped with             close to NN155A; mid-section and base, close to 157D. When             opening, outer surface: Apex, close to 64C, tipped with             close to NN155A; mid-section and base, close to 157D. Fully             opened, inner surface: Apex, close to 64B, tipped with close             to NN155A; mid-section and base, close to 157D. Fully             opened, outer surface: Apex, close to 65D, tipped with close             to NN155A; mid-section and base, close to 157D.         -   Pappus.—Quantity of hairs per floret: Numerous. Length:             About 7 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture and luster:             Soft; matte. Color: Close to 183D; towards the base, close             to 150D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 80 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Length: About             1.3 cm. Width (at base): About 2.25 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately to densely             pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 144B;             midvein, close to 143A. Color, lower surface: Close to 143B;             towards the base, close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 40.7 cm. Diameter: Proximally,             about 6 mm; distally, about 4 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Angle: About 15° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Moderately to densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color:             Close to 144A; distally, close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             6 mm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther shape: Linear;             basifixed. Anther size: About 3 mm by 0.3 mm. Anther color:             Close to 11A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             11B. Gynoecium (present on ray and disc florets): Quantity             per floret: One. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Stigma             diameter: About 0.3 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft. Stigma color:             Close to 155A. Style length: About 1.2 cm. Style color:             Close to N155B. Ovary color: Close to 157A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Gerbera. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and     pests common to Gerbera plants has not been observed on plants of     the new Gerbera grown under commercial production conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gerbera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging     from about −5° C. to about 35° C. and to be cold hardy to USDA     Hardiness Zone 7. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gerbera plant named ‘MAJBUR20AA’ as illustrated and described. 